AOS 1: The Artist, society and culture

Key knowledge

  • the role and purpose of art in different cultural contexts and times
  • the use of relevant aspects of the Cultural Lens to analyse and interpret artworks
  • the use, as appropriate, of relevant aspects of the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens to analyse and interpret artworks 
  • diverse and alternative approaches to making and presenting artworks
  • methods of making and presenting artworks in different historical and contemporary cultural contexts
  • how artworks reflect the beliefs, values and traditions of different cultures
  • the different ways that artists collaborate to make artworks
  • the practices of artists from different periods of time and cultures
  • referencing to support the analysis, evaluation and interpretation of artworks
  • art terminology used in the analysis, evaluation and comparison of artworks and the practices of artists

Key skills

  • apply the Cultural Lens to analyse and interpret artworks from different cultures and times
  • apply, as appropriate, relevant aspects of the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens to analyse and interpret artworks
  • compare artworks from different cultural and historical contexts
  • analyse diverse and alternative approaches to making and presenting artworks
  • analyse methods of making and presenting artworks in historical and contemporary cultural contexts
  • analyse how artworks can reflect the beliefs, values and traditions of different cultures
  • investigate the different ways that artists collaborate to make artworks
  • evaluate and compare the practices of artists from different periods of time and cultures
  • use references to artworks to support analysis, evaluation and interpretation
  • use appropriate art terminology to analyse, evaluate and compare the practices of artists and artworks

TASK

Apply the Cultural Lens, and other Interpretive Lenses as appropriate to analyse and compare the practices of artists and artworks from different cultures and times.

Your three artists must cover the following criteria:

  • An Australian First Nations artist.
  • An artist who collaborates with other artists, technicians or with the viewer or audience as part of their practice
  • A contemporary artist (post 2000) whose practice is influenced by contemporary ideas, materials, techniques, processes, or approaches.
  • An historical artist (pre 2000), that has used at least one traditional art form and traditional materials and techniques.

Choose artists that relate to one or more ideas, issues, and themes of social and cultural interest aligned with your inquiry. Choose artists that will directly inform your own art practice.

Steps:

Part 1

  • Research and collect information about each artist, their practice, and chosen artworks.
  • Describe, analyse, and compare the artists’ practices and their artworks. You can use a table to organise your research – including for example the Interpretive Lenses, collaborative approaches, meaning and messages.
  • Use in text citations and assemble a reference list that adheres to APA 7th conventions.
UNIT-2-AOS-1-The-artist_society_and-cultureDownload

Part 2

  • Comparative written response related to your three artists completed under exam conditions.

Research

Choose artists for whom there is sufficient background information so that the inquiry can be deep and broad. The sources should be many, varied and reliable. Acknowledge and record all sources.

Key for choosing artists:

Some suggested artists:

  • Shin Saimdang (1504­–1551) Korean. Painter, calligraphist poet – nature, plants, insects. HIST
  • Kazimir Malevich (1879–1935) Russian. Painter – non-objective art, avant-garde. HIST 
  • John Thomson (1837–1921) Scottish. Photographer – people, landscapes, artefacts. HIST 
  • May Morris (1862–1938) British. Artisan – arts and crafts. HIST, COLL 
  • Albert Namatjira (1902–1959 Australian First Nations. Painter, mostly watercolour – Central Australian landscapes in a ‘western’ style; the images are evocative of deep connection to the land. HIST, FNA 
  • Emily Kngwarreye (1910–1996) Australian, Anmatyerre language group. Paintings and textiles – traditional Dreamtime stories. HIST, FNA, COLL 
  • Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010) French-American. Large scale sculpture and installation. HIST, CON 
  • Andy Warhol (1928–1987) American. Pop artist – diverse output of screen prints, films and objects. Collaborated with technical assistants especially at The Factory. HIST, COLL 
  • Chuck Close (1940–2021) American. Paintings and prints primarily concerned with portraiture. Collaborated frequently with master printers. COLL, HIST, CON 
  • Marina Abramovic (1946– ) Serbian. Performance artist, concerned with issues about the body and endurance. Most works require(d) audience participation, also collaborated with fellow artist Ulay (Uwe Laysiepen). COLL, HIST, CON
  • Zaha Hadid (1950–2016) British-Iraqi. Architect, painter – urban development. HIST, CON 
  • Abbas Kiarostami (1940–2016) Iranian. Photography, painting, film stills, films – narratives. HIST, CON 
  • Barbi Kjar (1957– ) Australian. Painting, printmaking, works on paper. COLL, HIST, CON 
  • Sally Smart (1960– ) Australian. Painting, printmaking, photography, large-scale assemblage installation – identity politics. COLL, HIST, CON
  • Joan Ross (DOB unknown– ) Scottish / Australian. Multimedia artist, works mostly in assemblage and video; investigates the legacy of colonialism in Australia, particularly its effect on Indigenous Australians. COLL, HIST, CON
  • Yinka Shonibare (1962– ) British-Nigerian. Painting, sculpture, mixed media, installations, photography, film – cultural identity, colonialism, post-colonialism. COLL, HIST, CON
  • Lisa Kristine (1965– ) American. Photographer – humanitarian, unity, justice. HIST, CON
  • Kaylene Whiskey (1976– ) Australian. Heroic women, pop culture idols. FNA, HIST, CON